1. Technical Field
The field of the currently claimed embodiments of this invention relates to devices and methods for verifying the authenticity of precious metal coins and bars.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Precious metal coins and bullion are valued by their metal content. By altering the metal, or by inserting a different metal into a coin or bar, a fake or altered bar or coin can be made to look, feel, and weigh the same as a real one. Even testing the surface of the coin or bar does not guarantee that the inside is actually made of the correct material.
No single method of precious metal sample determination can guarantee that the sample is what it is supposed to be. Existing methods are slow, messy, and expensive, and some are destructive. For example, melting can be used, but obviously this destroys the precious metal sample and is very expensive.
Therefore, there remains a need for a detection device that is accurate, fast, portable, and non-destructive.